590 



CVIII. POLYPODIACEiE. 



[^Pteris. 



1. S. vulgdre Sym. (common 71.); fronds simple oblotia, 

 Ijgulate acute heart-shaped at the base, stipes scaly. E. B.%. 

 1150. S. officinarum Su\ Asplenium Scolopendriumi. 



Shady banks, cold and damp situations. — In the moat at Kenll- 

 worth Castle we have gathered this handsome fern more than 2 feet 



long 



9. Pteris Linn. Brake. 



) 



Sori continuous, linear, marginal. Involucres^ formed of the 



reflexed 



brane, opening intei*nally. 



feather, 



f^ 



/< 



or 







bipinnate, pinnules linear-lanceolate superior undivided mferior 

 pinnatifid, the segments oblong obtuse. E,B. t. 1679. 



Woods, heaths, and stony or sandy soils; abundant. This is the 

 favourite haunt of the deer: 



*' The wild buck bells (bellows) from ferny brake.'' 



It is employed for thatching houses, and as litter for cattle. The 

 ashes are useful in the manufacture of soap and glass. Its astringent 

 quality has recommended it for dressing and preparing kid and chamois 

 leather, and the people in Scotland employ it as a vermifuge. 



10. Cryptogramma Br. Rock-brake. (Tab. X. f. 5.) 



Sori at length confluent and marginal. Involucre formed by 

 the revolute margins of the pinnules, which in a young state 

 meet at the back: partlalnone. — Y ems forked — JN'ame: KpvTrroc, 

 concealed^ andypaix[,i7]^aline; from the concealed lines of capsules. 



1. C. crispa Br. (curled 



sterile fronds bipinnate, pin- 



nules bi-triplnnatifid, segments linear-oblong often bidentate 

 at the extremity, fertile fronds bipinnate tripinnate below, pin- 

 nules linear-oblong rather obtuse entire narrow at the base. — 

 Pterls crispa L. : E, B. t. 1160. 'Allosorus BernJi. 



Among loose stones in mountainous countries in the north: more 

 abundant in the north-M^est of England than in Scotland. — A very 

 elegant Fern, properly distinguished by Mr. Brown from Ptens, dif- 

 fering in habit, even more than in generic character. 



11. Blechnitm Linn. Hard-fern. (Tab. X. f. 6.) 



Sori linear, longitudinal, contiguous, parallel one on each side 

 of the rib. ^^ ' " ' .... ^^ . 



fo?'ked. 



Involucre continuous, opening interiorly.— Veins 



(Northern 



f^ 



pmnatifid the segments lanceolate rather obtuse, fertile fronds 



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